Jim McGillveray says that the Wildroot Orchestra is like Guy Lombardo on speed

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 11, 1983 By Steve Newton Before I'd even crossed the threshold into Jim McGillveray's harmonious Collingwood Street residence, something told me I was entering heavily musical territory. It could have been the two big ivory-coloured congas standing like sentinels on his front porch, their skins removed and evidently under repair. But … Continue reading Jim McGillveray says that the Wildroot Orchestra is like Guy Lombardo on speed

Album review: Aerosmith, Permanent Vacation (1987)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 18, 1987 By Steve Newton "If you grew up in the '70s you liked Aerosmith." That's what Peter Buck of R.E.M. wrote in the liner notes to his band's version of Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic," and Buck knows of which he speaks. With albums like Get Your … Continue reading Album review: Aerosmith, Permanent Vacation (1987)

Joe Perry says that Aerosmith is playing “wicked tight” after its Permanent Vacation

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 15, 1988 By Steve Newton "If you grew up in the '70s you liked Aerosmith." That's what R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck wrote in the liner notes to his group's version of Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic" on the Dead Letter Office album. And he knew what he was talking about. Along with … Continue reading Joe Perry says that Aerosmith is playing “wicked tight” after its Permanent Vacation

Skywalk guitarist Harris Van Berkel makes like Larry Carlton for The Bohemians

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 28, 1986 By Steve Newton Skywalk guitarist Harris Van Berkel carefully ponders the suggestion that his group's new album has sort of a West Coast sound to it. "There's a slight one... There's a kind of a West Coast affiliation, I guess. We definitely don't have an East Coast sound, you know … Continue reading Skywalk guitarist Harris Van Berkel makes like Larry Carlton for The Bohemians

Don’t call Vancouver’s Skywalk jazz or fusion, it’s just “a music band”

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 8, 1983 By Steve Newton "When it comes to Skywalk," says the group's drummer and veteran session player Kat Hendrikse, "the word jazz is inappropriate. It's got a lot of jazz influences, but basically it's a modern concept. It's modern music in that it's very composition-oriented as opposed … Continue reading Don’t call Vancouver’s Skywalk jazz or fusion, it’s just “a music band”

Steven Tyler screeches like a budgie from hell as Aerosmith rocks Vancouver on the Pump tour

By Steve Newton On March 17, 1990, Aerosmith played the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. At the time the band was still putting out pretty decent albums; six months earlier it had released Pump, which boasted rockin' numbers like "Monkey on My Back", "Young Lust", and "The Other Side". This was before it sold out for … Continue reading Steven Tyler screeches like a budgie from hell as Aerosmith rocks Vancouver on the Pump tour

Paul Rodgers on living the rock and roll fantasy and his new album Electric

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 21, 2000 By Steve Newton Anyone who’s ever raised a frosty Molson Pilsner to the bluesy riff-rock of Free or Bad Company would do well to attend the Commodore Ballroom on Friday (September 22), when the singer from those bands, Paul Rodgers, shows off the voice that launched … Continue reading Paul Rodgers on living the rock and roll fantasy and his new album Electric